More Than Meets The Eye by Karen Witemeyer

More Than Meets the Eye is a Patchwork Family Novel and I understand why now. Karen Witemeyer starts her story with a prologue of 3 orphans, Zach, Seth, and Evangeline, that survive a train wreck, and become their own family, fighting to survive.  All 3 are "broken" and society treats them like outcasts.  They have learned how to deal with others in town and their own "handicaps".  Fifteen years later, Logan Fowler buys land beside their property and is seeking revenge on Zach, who cheated his father off their homestead and caused his mother to be a shell of what she used to be.  He isn't expecting to meet Evangeline, who has a beauty and joy inside of her that Logan has never seen. Evangeline has never even had a friend, but with Logan there is the added chemistry of a first love.  The more time they spend together, Logan struggles with the secrets he has and his plan for vengeance.  When they witness an attempted murder of a young woman Christie, they must work together to find her attacker, protect the lady from further harm, and save themselves. 
First off, I love the quick wit Karen Witemeyer always uses in her novels.  This one didn't disappoint.  Evangeline is such a strong character, who just wants to be cherished by someone, after being lonely her whole life.  She chooses joy, even when she is called names and regarded as a demon by the townspeople. The emotions of both her and Logan make them so real!  Also, she and her brothers have struggled with trusting outsiders their whole lives.  Yet, they accept Christie into their "family", and show her the love of Christ.  When Logan can't seem to give up his plan for revenge, Evangeline challenges him to think about what God wants, as well as how his actions have affected his mother.  I love a mystery/romance set in the time period of the late 1800's and the western setting with saloons, horses, and first love.  Thank you to Bethany House Publishers for providing me a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.  Looking forward to the next novel by Karen Witemeyer!

Hearts Entwined A Historical Romance Novella Collection

Bethany House recently sent me a collection of historical novellas for free in exchange for a honest review.  Karen Witemeyer, Mary Connealy, Regina Jennings, and Melissa Jagears each tell a story of strong women that find love.  In The Love Knot, an old friend from the past shows up in Texas with an infant nephew she has never met, with instructions to raise him as her own.  Claire had moved out west to forget the past, and the rejection of her first love.  Peter has vowed to never let Claire get away again, and sets out to prove he is the one for her, even with a baby to care for now.  In The Tangled Ties that Bind, Maggie is training to be a doctor and she is not letting anyone stop her, not even Connor her childhood best friend, who has just returned home after 5 years.  Connor has grown up and is ready to settle down on the family ranch with Maggie, but Maggie has moved away to pursue her dreams.  She is only in town temporary to help her sick mom.  There is conflict and humor when they try to compromise. In Bound and Determined, Private Bradley Willis is assigned the duty of helping a retired cavalry officer move a heard across an Indian Reservation.  He truly believes he is being punished when he discovers the herd is camels, and the officer's headstrong daughter, Ambrosia is along to thwart the plans of her father.  She has been living a opulent life, and doesn't want camels or a lower class private to ruin it.  Ambrosia wants adventure, but isn't looking for love.  In Tied and True, Marianne has found the man of her dreams.  However, her parents have another man already chosen for her in their social class.  Calvin is in agreement; he cannot provide Marianne with the life she needs, and tries to get her out of his heart.  Marianne sets out to prove she can live like the middle class does by getting hired at a cotton mill.  She wants to marry for love, but Calvin loves her too much to cause her to live a life of what he foresees as hardships. 
I love the comedy in these stories, especially the one involving the camels.  Regina Jennings did a outstanding job describing their trek across the plains that I could easily picture the camels antics and how they would have been perceived in the eyes of the cavalry.  I like the historical aspects of the story of Maggie trying to become a female doctor in a time period when they were rare.  Connor doesn't expect her to give up on her dreams just to follow him either.  The authors also referred to characters from past novels in their respective series, which I was familiar with and enjoyed "catching up on their lives". The beauty of four novellas is that the reader can sit down and read one each night before bed.  They are short, humorous, and reminders that God works everything out according to His purpose. 

Holding The Fort by Regina Jennings

Regina Jennings has a new series available.  Holding the Fort is Book One of The Fort Reno Series.  The setting is June 1885 in Wichita, Kansas.  Louisa has lost her job as a dance hall singer, and sets off to find her brother, a private with the army on a Cheyenne/Arapaho Indian Reservation.  Her reputation won't allow her much choice for employment and she has no where else to go.  While on the stagecoach journey, a governess position fall in her lap and she uses her performing skills to act the part of a Mennonite governess for Major Daniel Adams's two daughters on the Indian Reservation.  She can keep her younger brother out of trouble and have employment that includes room and board.  She just didn't expect to have to be so deceitful, nor did she expect to enjoy the time she spends with the Major and his family.  Daniel is an expert at reading people and anticipating their every move.  Louisa is a mystery that he intends to solve, because she sure doesn't seem like an other Mennonite he has met before, nor does she teach his daughters the normal school subjects.
I love how Regina Jennings brings in so much history into her novels.  She uses the real characters from the 1880's such as Agent Dyer, Running Buffalo, and Chief Powder Face, so the reader is learning history as well as enjoying a romance novel.  The story of Daniel and Louisa is sweet and believable to the time period.  Louisa must find her way to God too, and I love how Regina shows her heart transformation.  Louisa discovers that God doesn't hold our past against us; He leaves it in the past!  I will definitely be looking forward to Book Two.  Thank you Bethany House Publishers for sending me a free copy in exchange for an honest review. 

The Two of Us by Victoria Bylin

Victoria Bylin has written another novel I couldn't put down.  Mia Robinson has a successful career as a nurse practitioner, but has struck out in love with two broken engagements.  Her biological clock is ticking, or so she feels at age 30, and therefore feels like the mission field is the logical next step.  She is shocked to hear her 19 year old sister Lucy is pregnant and wanting to get married in Las Vegas.  Mia raised Lucy better than that, being her legal guardian since Lucy was 10.  Mia goes to the wedding to talk Lucy about of it, but ends up meeting Jake, the best man.  Jake is a former police officer, and guardian to Sam the groom.  He can see a different side of Mia, a side that is afraid to trust and a broken heart.  Jake has his own secrets, as well as trying to help his dad care for his mom who is in the early stages of Alzheimer's disease.  Mia has never met anyone like Jake and the chemistry is there right from the start.  But does loving Jake mean Mia would be out of God's will by changing her mind about missions.  I love how story intertwines the three couples and brings them to life.  The three couples in different stages of a relationship, allows the reader to relate to one of the couples.  Mia's indecisiveness was frustrating at times.  The men are strong, loving unconditionally yet even admit they are human and make mistakes.  As Jake points out to Mia, you can only truly depend on God, not a man, to meet every need.  This book is a must read!  I received my copy from Bethany House in exchange for an honest review.   

True To You (A Bradford Sisters Romance) by Becky Wade

Becky Wade has a new series involving the three Bradford Sisters: Willow, Nora, and Britt.  True to You is the first story in the series and tells the story of Nora, a research librarian who is the typical middle sister who feels plain and unnoticed.  Her life revolves around British literature as well as her favorite classical English drama on television.  When she and Britt  volunteer to be pretend hostages for a training event, she comes face-to-face with a man who is above and beyond any of her fictional fantasies.  John is a former Navy Seal who was adopted as an infant.  He has been diagnosed with an inherited medical condition that causes him to want to search for his birth parents.  Nora is the perfect person to help him.  Yet as a private person, he doesn't want to share his reasons for his search, nor does he understand how someone like Nora can affect his emotions so deeply. She loves history, fictional stories, and tea.  Nora's first love is books and helping others find people.  She loves this new challenge and finds herself falling for John, even though she knows he has a girlfriend.  She has been hurt before and considers herself too ordinary for someone as important as John. 
I love the complexity of the characters in this novel.  Becky Wade has set the stage for all three sisters by giving a glimpse of what's to come in their lives.  I can understand the feelings of both Nora and John, and how they are afraid to share too much of their heart with another person because of not having a traditional home life.  Although not personally familiar with adoption, the insecurities of John who was given up at birth is so believable.  There is the relationship between the sisters that is easy for me to relate to, especially as the middle sister.  And then the author shows how difficult it would be to receive a life changing medical diagnosis, and the struggles John went through dealing with how to accept it.  I can't wait for the next novel in the series and immerse myself in the Bradford Sisters life again!  Thank you Bethany House for providing me with a free copy in exchange for an honest review. 

An Uncommon Courtship by Kristi Ann Hunter

Bethany House recently sent me a free copy of Kristi Ann Hunter's new novel, An Uncommon Courtship.  Set in England in 1814, this novel continues the saga of the Hawthorne House.  Lord Trent Hawthorne is the second son, and glad to be free of the responsibility of being the duke that his older brother must fulfill now that their father has passed away.  Both of his sisters married for love, and he wants a love story all his own, when the time is right.  However, Lady Crampton from a neighboring estate has her own plan, to somehow marry off her "in the shadows" second daughter, Adelaide to someone with money and power.  Although her plan to conveniently leave Adelaide trapped all night in an abandoned building with the duke doesn't quite work, Lord Trent is the next best option.  Not knowing it was a trap, Lord Trent investigates an visitor on their property and next thing he knows, he is saying his marriage vows to a woman he doesn't even know. Neither Lord Trent nor Adelaide know how a marriage should be or even what love is.  Adelaide only knows deception from her mother, and Lord Trent has a faint recollection of the beautiful marriage of his parents, but his father is no longer alive to answer his questions of how to truly love his wife.  Thankfully, he has godly married friends that show him the best place to go for answers is the Bible, to see how Christ loved the church as his own body, and as a model for husbands. 
Although I had never read any novels by Kristi Ann Hunter, I discovered I didn't need to because the characters in this novel can stand alone.  However because of the way Hunter developed the characters of the novel, I want to find her first 2 novels and 1 novella to read, to continue the story of the Hawthorne Family.  I love the setting and how the characters interact with each other.  The story of an inconvenient marriage has been done before, but the questions that Hunter has the characters ask and think are so real, and I love how Lord Trent and Adelaide come to learn about a Godly marriage.  Their missteps and confusion when they are first married is so sweet and pure.  I am hoping there is another novel coming to continue the story of Lord Trent's older brother Griffith .  Thank you Bethany House for sending me this story in exchange for a honest review.

For The Record by Regina Jennings

I recently received a free copy of For The Record.  As usual, Regina Jennings combines history with romantic adventure.  Set in 1885 in Pine Gap, Missouri, the novel tells of the story of Betsy Huckabee, a 24 year old "spinster" in those days, who helps her uncle with the writing and printing of the town's newspaper as well as helping with her younger cousins at home.  Tired of friends and relatives pushing single men at her in hopes of marrying her off, she concentrates on her writing, which may just be her ticket out of town.  Local crimes start occurring that the sheriff can't control, so Deputy Joel Puckett is sent in from Texas as reinforcement.  Running from rumors that could ruin his reputation as well as his career, Joel is intent on getting to the cause of the crimes that are escalating in Pine Gap, and proving that he is a true lawman.  Betsy finds the actions of Deputy Puckett exciting enough to write about, and if she adds a twist, the readers will never know that the stories are based on Joel's life.  When her first story is published in a far off newspaper, the money is too good to pass up, and so she continues with weekly sequels.  Joel finds that having Betsy along is helpful to his deputy duties.  The townspeople trust her and she knows many of the unknown town's secrets and she can be a buffer to the men that dislike an outsider coming in to try to change their town, even if it is for the better.  Betsy just hopes he will never find out her secrets, or that he is the object of her fantasies.
I found the novel slow at first.  There were a lot of names to remember, and who was related to whom.  However, by the middle, there was more action and interaction between Betsy and Joel, and my interest increased.  I like the history part of the late 1880's in the mid west.  The struggles they went through were real and I liked their communication with each other.  Regina Jennings portrayed their thoughts and feelings well. I would definitely read another historical romance by her.  This was a stand alone novel, although some of her characters were in other stories.  This free copy from Bethany House came with "no strings attached" and these opinions are all my own.

A Love Transformed by Tracie Peterson

Tracie Peterson brings 1917 history to life in Book 3 of the Sapphire Brides Series A Love Transformed.  World War I has begun in Europe and the Germans are sinking British and American ships along the Atlantic Coast.  Clara is living comfortable in New York City with her husband and children.  It was an arranged marriage and therefore no love between Clara and Adolph, but she is making the best of her situation, even assisting her husband with his business by designing unique jewelry sets with Yoho sapphires only found in mines in Montana.  Clara has fond memories of spending summers at her Aunt Madeline and Uncle Paul's sheep ranch in Montana.  She also met her first love Curtis there, but was forced to leave him because her mother wanted her to marry for wealth.  So when her husband dies, Clara goes back to Montana to live the life she has always wanted. However, Curtis doesn't feel worthy of Clara's love and he is wounded on the outside too.  Clara's mother and brother-in-law will stop at nothing to have her back in New York City for their financial gain. 
This is the first novel in the Sapphire Brides Series I have read, but I truly enjoyed it, so I may need to find the first two in the series.  I love the history that Tracie Peterson writes about.  I didn't know much about the Americans that would spy and aid the Germans.  I have read other series by her, but that was over 15 years ago.  She didn't disappoint!  She also writes more about the spiritual struggles of the main characters than other Christian authors.  Curtis was struggling with forgiveness of himself, and the sins he had committed. The Biblical wisdom from Clara's aunt and uncle reminded me of my grandparents. Peterson outlines the whole plan of salvation for readers too, so it can be a witnessing tool for non-Christian readers.  I would recommend this novel to any reader, especially those interested in World War I history.  Thank you Bethany House Publishers for sending me a free copy to review.

No Way Up by Mary Connealy

Mary Connealy has started a new series of novels called The Cimarron Legacy.  Bethany House Publishers sent me a free copy of Book 1 in exchange for an honest review.  No Way Up takes place in New Mexico Territory in the 1880's.  The ranch patriarch Chance Boden is injured in an avalanche.  Not sure if he will survive, he asks his 3 adult children, Cole, Justin and Sadie, to come to the reading of his will.  He is requiring them to live together on The Cimarron Ranch for one year beginning now, or they will all lose their inheritance.  Justin and Cole are constantly bickering, with Sadie in the middle. Justin has working the ranch alone, while Cole has been managing the gold mines on the other side of their land.  Sadie has been volunteering at an orphanage in town, but now has to give it up to live on the ranch too. Heath Kincaid is the cowhand in charge while Chance is injured and looks forward to having Sadie around more, even though her brothers remind him time and again that he is just a cowhand and not fit to court their sister.  When Heath discovers that the avalanche was no accident, and there is a gunman out on top of Skull Mesa hunting down the Boden's, Heath and Sadie must work together to solve the mystery. This is a novel filled with action and cowboy conversation, with the history of the New Mexico Territory thrown in for good measure. Heath and Sadie are involved with some advanced rock climbing and I like that part.  Heath Kincaid is the younger brother of the characters in the Kincaid Brides series of Mary Connealy, so there is a connection to her other books too.  Connealy always has strong women characters and this novel was no different.  I liked how Sadie shared the gospel with one of her enemies even after all the evil he had done.  The story doesn't end with this one novel either; Connealy still leaves some mysteries to be solved in future novels. 

Her One and Only by Becky Wade

The Porter Family Series continues with the story of Dru Porter, the former Marine, who is hired to be bodyguard to NFL star Gray Fowler.  Gray has been receiving increasingly threatening letters on a weekly basis.  Gray is used to danger and being on the defensive, and therefore thinks having bodyguards protecting him is unnecessary. Dru's last assignment ended badly and she is out to prove her expert skill and competence as a protective agent.  After all she has three older brothers who have taught her everything she knows and a reputation to uphold.  However, she doesn't count on feelings of attraction and compassion for Gray, who is keeping secrets of his past. The more aloof and detached Dru makes herself, the more competitive Gray becomes to try to win her heart.  It's a game to Gray; he is used to getting whatever woman he wants, thanks to his fame and good looks. Dru is looking for a lasting commitment, the love she sees that her brothers' have for their wives.  Gray has been on his own since high school and never had a family to care about him.  The more time he spends around Dru and her family, he realizes there are couples out there that would sacrifice their life for the one they love.  Yet his past keeps resurfacing and he realizes that he can't move forward and heal from his childhood unless he forgives and walks away from the pleasures of sin.
I love how Becky Wade continued the stories of the other Porter family characters.  I could really see how Dru's life was shaped because of her family.  She knows how a God-centered life should be and won't settle for less.  After Gray has spent time with the Porter family, he realizes how empty his life is without God as the center of it.  He was depending first on his own strength, and then his own wealth and fame to make him happy.  He was living in his past and thought he could not escape from it.  The novel is so real-life and the suspense is just enough to keep you on the edge. The struggles between Dru and Gray is believable and I felt like I was a part of the Porter family.  Thank you Bethany House for providing me a free copy to review.

Like Never Before (Walker Family Series #2) by Melissa Tagg

Melissa Tagg has done it again; she has brought to life the characters of Amelia and Logan in Maple Valley, Iowa.  Logan Walker is a widowed speechwriter who lives in busy LA with his 3 year old daughter.  He is on track to be a part of the upcoming presidential campaign, the career he has always dreamed of in Washington, DC.  So when Logan inherits the newspaper of his hometown from his mentor, he only wants a quick sale so he can move on with his life.  Amelia Bentley has come to Maple Valley after her broken marriage and has felt at home at the newspaper. The Walker family has made her feel like a part of their family, and she can't let the whole town lose their local newspaper.  Logan finds himself enjoying being back in his hometown again, and knows his daughter needs to be around family, as well as a speech therapist who can help her finally speak after losing her mother.  Logan also needs to find his way back to God, and let Him have control again. Amelia is afraid to chase after her dreams.  She is willing to fight for the town where she feels safe, but not ready to take a chance on love again. 
I loved seeing the family relationships among the Walker siblings and how they came to their Dad, Case Walker for advice. He has been through hard times himself when he lost his wife to cancer, but his example of a positive marriage is just what his four children need to see and his wise counsel is real-life.  The need for Logan to get his priorities straight between his career and his daughter, and the conflict he faces by wanting to spend time with Amelia, but feeling guilty for not always being there with his daughter is what so many single parents especially feel in today's world.  I loved seeing other Maple Valley characters from previous novels in this story too.  I also loved the history that Melissa Tagg weave in about Amelia Earhart and the small town mystery that Amelia Bentley is trying to solve. I can't wait for more stories about the Walker family!

A Bride At Last by Melissa Jagears

Kate Dawson is content being single and the town's schoolteacher. Anthony is a student that has stolen her heart and makes her wish she had not run from the chance at being a mail-order bride. When Anthony's mother Lucy dies, Kate assumes she will be his guardian. Yet two men show up in the rural Missouri town claiming to be his father. Kate has heard Lucy speak of both gentlemen, but none of it is positive. Silas Jonesey grew up in an orphanage and has never had a family to call his own. When he gets a letter from his estranged mail-order bride he travels to Missouri to see her in hopes of reconciliation, only to find that she has passed away. Not wanting Anthony to have an orphan life like he did, he plans to take his son back to his homestead. Yet where does that leave Kate and what if Anthony has other plans? 
I had read another novel by Melissa Jagears and the characters in her first novel continued on into this story, but this novel could also stand alone.  The story started out slow, with too much background story and the characters thoughts and not enough dialogue nor action. However, the second half was much better. I like this time period of the 1880's and the mail-order bride stories. Kate and Silas have to work through their past issues in a real way and their story is believable.  Thanks Bethany House for sending me a free copy in exchange for an honest review.

Now & Forever by Mary Connealy

Book 2 of the Wild at Heart series is available.  Bethany House sent me a free copy in exchange for an honest review.  I love the adventure in Mary Connealy's novels!  Shannon is the middle sister of the Wilde family.  She is raising sheep on her own homestead. After being in the wrong place at the wrong time, she finds herself forced to marry Matthew Tucker to save her reputation. Tucker is a mountain man, preferring to be alone in the wilderness for months at a time.  Raised by an Indian woman, he knows how to track animals and people, but is unsure how to treat his new wife.  They find themselves teaming up together against a greedy man who wants Shannon's homestead. Connealy provides action and mystery in her novel, and I love how she includes characters from Book 1.  Being someone who loves the outdoors and 1860's time period in the west, I enjoyed Shannon's story.  Shannon is brave and loyal and learned she can trust God for her future!

A Love Like Ours by Becky Wade

Becky Wade's series involving the Porter Family continues on with the story of Jake Porter.  Jake is a former Marine who is back home in Texas training Thoroughbreds with his brothers.  He is also suffering from PTSD  and prefers to spend his days alone.  As a child Lyndie James was more than just his neighbor she was his best friend. He was fiercely protective of her then and that hasn't changed.  When Lyndie moves back to Texas and starts exercising horses for Jake, the closeness they once shared returns.  But Jake doesn't feel whole; he has scars inside and out.  He has given up on God and is fearful of something happening to Lyndie. Jake wonders how Lyndie can be so carefree.  Lyndie knows she can help Jake, but he has to be willing. I loved this novel just as I did the first two.  I felt like I was living in Texas with Lyndie and Jake.  The military flashbacks associated with PTSD were so real and the side plot with Amber trying to find Mr. Right was incredibly funny.  There were parts that continued on with Bo and Ty Porter from the previous novels but you didn't have to read them to understand the plot.  The ups and downs Lyndie had with caring for a physically challenged sister was real-life too.  Thanks Bethany House for sending this novel for me to review.

Favorite Quote from Melissa Tagg

Favorite Quote from Melissa Tagg's From The Start novel:

"Pastor Nick told me a while back that I didn't have to have a big plan for my life.  I just needed to do the next right thing."

From The Start by Melissa Tagg

Having read one other novel by Melissa Tagg, I couldn't wait to read From The Start.  I enjoyed Kate and Colton's story from the very first chapter.  Kate Walker is a movie screenplay writer that doesn't believe in a fairy-tale ending anymore.  She is busy with her career in Chicago when a tornado strikes her hometown in Iowa and she must go home to help her dad and siblings. Former NFL quarterback Colton Greene is trying to find purpose in his life after his football career abruptly ends with an injury. When his former college roommate, who is Kate's older brother, suggests getting away to Iowa to help the town re-build after the tornado, Kate and Colton's lives collide and the sparks fly!  When they find that others in the town, like a high school boy in the foster system and a struggling coffee shop owner, need help that only they can give, Kate and Colton find their lives going in a new direction. But first they need to let go of the past hurts. 
I absolutely loved this book!  Reminding me of stories by Susan May Warren or Karen Kingsbury, I finished the book hoping there would be others to continue on in the series. The characters, especially Kate's siblings, were so real-life to me that I kept wishing I lived in their town.  I loved how the past hurts that Kate and Colton had experienced helped them assist others with similar trials.  I would definitely recommend this novel to anyone. Thanks Bethany House Publishers for sending me a free copy to review!

Steadfast Heart by Tacie Peterson

Tracie Peterson has begun a new series Brides of Seattle.  Set in Seattle, WA in 1888 Book 1 Steadfast Heart tells the story of Lenore Fulcher who has just discovered her father wants to consider the marriage of her and one of his colleagues as part of a business deal. Lenore isn't an "old maid", she just hasn't found her "one true love yet" and would never want to marry someone so much older than herself .  Being an only child, Lenore's parents tend to overprotect and spoil her. Her best friend Abrianna helps her see what the real world is like. She isn't afraid to be out on the streets helping the poor and homeless, much to the dismay of Wade, her friend since childhood. Abrianna lives with 3 aunts at the Madison Bridal School where mail-order brides are taught basic household skills to make them more "marketable". When Kolbein Booth comes to the Bridal School all the way from Chicago looking for his little sister, Lenore starts to believe in "love at first sight". Can it really be possible and will her parents allow a stranger to court her?
I enjoyed this novel, however the first half seemed to move slowly.  The "preview" on the back cover really didn't match the story line.  While it made Lenore seem like the main character, Abrianna was talked about more, especially in the first half, while Lenore was out of town. I could tell that Tracie Peterson was trying to set up the story line for Book 2, which I am assuming is about Abrianna. Yet Lenore's story seemed to be lacking; it was hard to get to know her character and that of Kolbein. I made myself finish it because I wanted to see what happened with Abrianna.  The dialogue between Abrianna's  aunts reminded me of the Baldwin sisters on The Waltons, with much talk of the past and the husband that had passed away.  An okay read, but not one of my favorites.  Thank-you Bethany House Publishers for providing me a free copy.

Becoming Bea by Leslie Gould

Becoming Bea is the 4th novel in The Courtships of Lancaster County series by Leslie Gould. Beatrice Zook has been rivals with Ben Rupp since the grade school spelling bees they competed in year after year.  Ben seems to know just what to say to put Bea on the defense. Only once did Bea start to think they could have a courtship but then Ben broke her heart. When her mom, sister and brother-in-law talk of selling the family farm and moving to Montana, Bea feels pressured to go, but can't shake the feeling that Lancaster County is where she is meant to live. Unexpectedly a family in the community has newborn triplets to take care of, and hire Bea as a temporary helper.  Not knowing anything about babies, Bea at first feels clumsy and scared in her new responsibilities. Yet as time passes, Bea develops a confidence in herself and her duties.  When Ben returns home and their paths cross again, Bea must search for God's will in her life and discover if there is a place for Ben in her heart. This is a first time reading a Leslie Gould novel and I found it hard to get involved in the story.  Maybe it was because I had not read the first novels in the series, but even so there were too many characters at the beginning and I didn't have enough background story of them to get a true idea of who they were. The story moved slowly for me; I tried to read some daily and each time after about 2 chapters I was falling asleep. I had to make myself finish the book.  Normally I enjoy reading about the Amish and I can't wait to see how a novel ends but this was not the case this time.  I honestly cannot recommend this book to my friends.  Thanks Bethany House Publishers for providing me a free copy to review.

Tried & True by Mary Connealy

Mary Connealy has a new series called Wild At Heart.  Set in Idaho Territory in 1866, the series centers around the Wilde Sisters who have served their time in the Civil War and now they have applied for a homestead using their Union Soldier Exemption.  Their father had convinced them to enlist as soldiers after their brother was killed in battle, and now has each of his three daughters on their own homestead. Book 1 begins with Kylie the youngest of the three sisters.  She only wants to stay out west long enough to fulfill her homesteading contract.  While dressing like a man has some benefits when it comes to building her cabin, and helping care for her sister Shannon's sheep, she longs for the day of attending tea parties and balls wearing beautiful gowns back East.  When local land agent Aaron Masterson rescues her from a potential fall off her roof, he realizes Kylie's true identity. Now his conscience is torn between reporting her for fraud or protecting her from the single men in town that either want to marry her or run her off her land. 
This novel has all the action of a western romance as well as some comedy.  I enjoyed the banter between Kylie and Aaron and the closeness of the three Wilde sisters. Mary Connealy has intertwined the historical facts of the time period too so that I learned about the ways of western homesteading. Mary Connealy has an excerpt from Book 2 available at the close of this book.  I look forward to reading Shannon's story in Now and Forever. Thank-you Bethany House Publishers for providing me a free copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

Four Weddings and a Kiss by Margaret Brownley, Debra Clopton, Mary Connealy, and Robin Lee Hatcher

If you love a western romance from the 1880's, you need to read Four Weddings and a Kiss.  It's a collection of 4 novellas by some of Thomas Nelson's best selling authors. Although the characters in each story are not from the same town, the prologue begins with 4 traveling preachers sitting around a campfire giving relationship advice to a new preacher. They each tell a love story about a couple from New Mexico, Wyoming, Texas and Colorado that has met with obstacles on their path to true love, before settling down with their life partner. In Spitfire Sweetheart, Maizy finds herself in love with neighboring rancher Rylan, who only sees her as a pest. Yet when he is injured and Maizy becomes his nurse, he finds he can't live without her.  A Love Letter to the Editor centers around the story of Molly, an independent writer for her Dad's newspaper.  When Jack comes into town as the new editor, Molly is determined to make his life miserable until he moves on to another town and her Dad will give her the editor job that she deserves. However, it's hard to "run someone out of town" when you are falling in love with them. A tornado destroys the only home Katie has ever known in A Cowboy for Katie. Trapped under her house for 3 days would make anyone crazy and fearful!  Even though the townspeople avoid "Crazy Katie", Treb needs a job and a horse.  Katie can provide that and then he can move on to explore the places he has only heard about. So why does Katie make him feel like putting down roots in Texas?  Margaret Brownley ends the Western Bride Collection with the story of Grace, also known as the "Black Widow".  She has had 3 husbands die and attorney Brock Daniels is the only one who believes she is innocent. She can't stay in jail because her son needs her, so Brock prepares for the most challenging court battle of his life as Grace battles for her life.  I have read novels by Brownley and Connealy, so I was immediately interested in this one.  I love this time period and some nights I have limited time to read. This collection was perfect because I had just enough time to finish one story each night.  They were quick and to the point, but still told a sweet love story.  Thanks Thomas Nelson Publishers for sending me a free copy in exchange for a honest review!